The Great War
by Skermefaten
Summary: Taking place roughly a decade before the events of Ocarina of Time, this story is of a civil war between the Hylians, Gorons, Gerudo, Zora, and the Interlopers.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Golden Power. The Sacred Triangle. These are names of the Triforce, a relic sought after by people of all kinds for generations. Created by the Goddesses, this divine essence promises unfathomable power to whomsoever lays their hands upon it.

Now, while wars have been fought over this ancient artifact, no one was ever able to lay claim to it, and the legend of the Triforce remained merely a legend.

However, in recent times, the legend has been stirring among the people of Hyrule once again. Or, at least, those _suffering_ in Hyrule. While the Hylians have been enjoying a time of peace and prosperity, the Gorons, Zora, and Gerudo have all been living in a time of poverty and despair. All across the country, whispers could be heard of the growing desire to attain the legendary power. If only, they said, if only _we_ could have such power, perhaps _then_ our people could climb out of this terrible time!

They weren't the only ones after the Triforce, though.

No… Even those who lurked among the shadows were after this power. A hated tribe known as the "Interlopers" also longed for the Triforce. Skilled in dark magic, the Interlopers were seen as the most likely group of people to find an entrance to the Sacred Realm, the parallel world home to the Triforce. But the other races weren't going to simply let them take the power. Each race had their own motives and reasons for needing it, after all.

The Kingdom of Hyrule soon saw the tension growing between all of these races. Gorons, Zora, and Gerudo were all bickering with each other, trying to determine who should get the Triforce; the Interlopers would simply stay in the background, watching the events unfold. Daphnes, the King of Hyrule, attempted to resolve this issue peacefully. He called upon the leaders from each race. Ganondorf, from the Gerudo tribe. King Zora, from the Zora tribe. Darunia, from the Goron tribe. And Twi, from the Interloper tribe. The five of them joined together in Hyrule Castle in hopes of coming up with a resolution.

"You must understand, King Daphnes, that my people are suffering from a terrible and seemingly endless drought. It is _imperative_ that we attain the Triforce's power. The other tribes can survive in their conditions, but we cannot!"

This was voice of Ganondorf. Leader of the Gerudo and a tad skilled in sorcery, he definitely wasn't a man to get mixed up with. Although young, he was quite intimidating.

"_Your_ people are suffering? Aren't your people used to those conditions?!"

Darunia of the Gorons replied to Ganondorf in his typical heated tone. He was also unable to see how a drought could really affect a race that's dry anyway. A _real_ problem to him was his people's lack of food because of overpopulation. Darunia needed a miracle. Whatever that may be.

In an attempt to calm them, the King quickly spoke up.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen…. Settle down now. We won't resolve this conflict by arguing with one another. I can assure you of that much."

"I suppose I'd have to agree there…."

The King of the Zora at last offered his piece, although mumbling his words as he was more interested in his own problems. All of the Zora were in danger as their pure waters were being mysteriously polluted. As a result, many of his people were becoming ill.

What of the Interloper, though? Twi simply stayed silent. He didn't quite understand why he was there to begin with. The Interlopers could care less about making resolutions with the other tribes. They simply wanted to gain access to the Sacred Realm in order to gain the power. And to rule over the people who had hated them for so long. So why did his tribe even send him here? He wasn't even the leader…. Though, he was as far as the others knew.

"You're right…." pointed out Ganondorf, "We won't resolve this conflict by arguing. Rather, by _action_."

"Lord Ganondorf! That is not-"

The King stopped as Darunia suddenly arose from his seat.

"Then action it is!"

"Gentlemen!"

"Your Highness, I apologize that it has come to this, but anyone who won't allow us to have the Triforce is now our enemy! Therefore, if you won't permit this, then you too are our enemy!" Darunia turned over to the other two representatives. "The same goes for your tribes…."

"Ha, the Zora are _plenty_ capable of defeating all of the tribes, and any Hylian Soldiers who try and stop us!"

Twi simply stayed silent.

"How _dare_ you threaten the peace of this Kingdom! Drop this foolishness at once! We are a united people, after all!"

"No… We are not."

This was the voice of Twi. Coming from the hated tribe of the Interlopers, he knew far too well of just how divided Hyrule was.

"The Kingdom of Hyrule is solely about Hylia's Chosen People, otherwise known as you Hylians. The rest of us are second to you people. How can you say we are united when _our_ people suffer and _your_ people celebrate?"

The entire room was silent. Though, it was only shocking that he spoke. His words, however, were the thoughts of everyone in the meeting. Even the King.

"As I thought."

Twi got up from his seat and took one last look at the King and the representatives.

"I'll see you all in Hell…."

With that final comment, he exited the room.

And, with no other words to be said, the other leaders followed out to begin their preparations for an all-out war.

The King, on the other hand, sent off a Royal Messenger, ordering him to bring the Captain of the Royal Knights: Link.

.

.

.

Walking around Castle Town, Link casually searched around the many shops, looking for anything of interest. Being the Captain of the Royal Knights, he didn't get much time for simple yet enjoyable activities like this. His life consisted of protecting the Kingdom of Hyrule, namely the Royal Family. Not the kind of job that offers much vacation time. In actuality, though, Link was strolling around to listen to gossip. He heard Hylians speak of the other races "acting out of line" and "being greedy for power". Whether or not they were right, it irked Link that they would speak down upon people of their own country.

"Captain!"

Link quickly turned to see a Royal Messenger approaching.

"Ah, good day there!" He called out with a smile. "And from whom do I have a message?"

"Sir, the King requests your presence. Immediately."

Suddenly, Link's expression became very serious. He had a hunch as to why he was being called for. And it wasn't a good feeling….

"Thank you, messenger."

After the messenger bowed and left, Link began making his way toward the Castle. Link wondered if the King was going to send soldiers to each tribe and settle them down. But, Link's role in the Kingdom's protection was focused on the Royal Family, and there were plenty others capable of leading an army of _soldiers_. So why him? Were the Knights going to be involved in something as small as this?

Link soon passed the gate and nodded at the soldiers who saluted him as he entered the castle. Making his way up to the throne room, Link passed by the quarters of the Princess Zelda. Memories of his childhood suddenly flooded back to him, where he and the Princess used to enjoy each other's company and escape the "proper life" that they both had to endure. Born in a prominent family, Link had always been close to the Royal Family, and, more specifically, Zelda. They would always talk about how boring their lives were since they weren't allowed to interact with many people. Yet, here Link is today, leading the same boring life he wanted to get away from as a child. But, in a way, it was all worth it. He had grown up with _Zelda_, after all. The history they were able to share made everything else worthwhile. Suddenly, though, Link found that he had stopped walking while reminiscing. He shook his head and told himself he'd stop by later. For now, Link made his way to the throne room and entered inside.

"Link!"

"Your Highness…." Link dropped to one knee and looked down as he placed a fist over his chest.

"At ease, Captain."

Link rose up and stood before Daphnes. "My King…. What is going on? Why have you called me here?"

"I'm afraid we are at war, Link."

"War, Your Highness?"

"I held a meeting earlier today with the leaders of the other tribes of Hyrule. Each race seemed to have their own reasons for wanting the Triforce, and they rebelled against the Kingdom, claiming this land is all about Hylia's Chosen People."

"That's…." Link was about to strike down such a claim, but after hearing the gossip around town, it was hard to argue such a thing. "I see…. But, if we are at war, Your Highness, why have you called _me_? This is a duty for soldiers, not your Royal Knights."

"Be that as it may, I foresee this will not be a simple task. Our soldiers need a _true_ leader, and a powerful one at that. Link…. You are just that man. I want _you_ to lead this war!"

"Your Highness…. If I may."

"Of course."

"I understand you deem it best that I lead the soldiers, but…. They are mere soldiers. I cannot lead men with such little experience."

"Then mold them into knights."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Link…. You're right in that the soldiers do not have as much experience, but we cannot send out our Royal Knights into war on their own. It is better that you take an army of soldiers and turn them into an army of knights. You will be their Royal General!"

"If… That is what you desire, Your Highness, I will lead this army. But, what of my Royal Knights?"

"They will stay here and protect the Castle with the other soldiers that guard this place. You will take the rest of the men."

"Do they even have a form of leadership, Your Highness?"

"They have a Captain of their own, yes."

Link sighed. Working with others wasn't his speciality, so he had a feeling this was going to be difficult.

"If that is all, Your Highness, I ask that you please excuse me."

"Very well. Good day, Link. And thank you."

"It is my pleasure, Your Highness…."

Exiting the throne room, Link wandered around the Castle, lost in deep thought. Leading an army, he thought, was different than what he was used to. Ever since Link joined the Royal Knights, he'd only have himself surrounded by a small group of people. This was new to him, but the King entrusted him with this task. And, as a result, the fate of the Kingdom would be in his hands. So, it was necessary that he-

"GAH."

"Oh dear! I'm so sorry!"

Link was so focused on his thoughts he didn't see a door about to open, so he was smacked right in the face. After the door fully opened, Link saw that it was Princess Zelda standing before him.

"My my…. How _rude_ of you, Princess!"

"Oh, Link, it's only you."

"And what's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Link smirked. He missed these light-hearted conversations.

"Nothing, nothing…." Zelda smirked right back at Link. She then playfully poked his nose and changed the subject. "Mr. Royal General."

It was funny to Link how, when hearing it from Zelda, the job suddenly didn't sound so bad.

"How did you know...?"

"My father told me, of course!"

"Ah, I see. Well, you know, I would do anything for the sake of the Kingdom and you-your Royal Family."

"I know, and we love that about you…."

Zelda's voice trailed off, and it suddenly got very quiet. Link cleared his throat, hoping to break the silence, but it didn't. Out of nowhere, though, a soldier on patrol happened to pass by, so Link quickly spoke up in a formal tone.

"Right, well, stay safe, Princess. The times ahead will be difficult, I'm sure. But we will hopefully reunite the people of Hyrule before it is too late!"

He nodded at Zelda before quickly walking away from where they had been standing and conversing. The soldier stopped and saluted Link and continued on his patrol normally. It seemed as if he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. What a lucky break, Link thought.

Moving on from that situation, Link started immediately with preparations. Knowing there was a training session for the soldiers in Hyrule Field today, Link decided to head to it and see just what he was about to work with….


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Back in Goron City, Darunia was already riling up his people. Throughout their home and even out onto the Death Mountain Trail, Gorons piled together and listened intently to their leader's call to arms.

"Our Hyrule brethren have disrespected us! They are taking away our Goddess-given right to merely _survive_ in this world! The only choice is for us to stop the other races from obtaining the Triforce!"

While all of the other Gorons cheered together in agreement, there was but one who stood alone. Literally. But figuratively as well.

Golo, the owner of the Goron Shop, was standing over the counter with his typical uninterested face. He could only roll his eyes at the thought of his fellow Gorons mindlessly charging into a war. Perhaps it was the lack of food, he thought, that was affecting their judgment. No… The Gorons had drastically changed in morality as well. That was the problem.

Before he could ponder any further, he noticed the uproar die down and people leave the area, probably to make preparations for war. To Golo's surprise, he saw Darunia making his way to the shop.

"Golo…. I did not see you out there during my speech."

"I have a shop to run, Darunia…."

"For what customers? They were all out there supporting their leader. All but you, that is…."

Golo was quick to snap. "You know _very well_ I don't like the idea of war, Darunia! So don't expect me to be involved in any way…."

"I hope you realize _all_ Gorons are required to aid the war's efforts."

Golo scoffed and mumbled to himself. "It's not like we don't have plenty to go around…."

"_What_ was that?!"

Golo stayed silent.

"If you weren't my older brother, Golo, I would…." Darunia's voice trailed off. He then shook his head and exited the shop.

Closing his eyes, Golo too shook his head. Only…. It was in disappointment of what had become of his younger brother. He longed for the days when Darunia was gentler and kinder. His younger brother always stood out as the most soft-hearted member of the rock-hard race. At the time, people surprisingly liked that about him. But…. As people changed, Darunia did as well. The brothers had grown up in a time of change, with the baby boom only beginning in their childhood. It seemed the morality of the Gorons had gone down. And, not to mention, the humility. With the larger population, the tribe began to feel _too_ proud, and, because of the lack of food, they became more self-centered, prioritizing their needs far beyond any other race's. What happened to them didn't matter as long as the Gorons were provided for. Golo hoped that Darunia, who had only recently become leader when this was happening, would bring his people back on the right track. But Golo found that his brother had too changed with his tribe. Now, here they are, soon to face the punishment for their sins….

.

.

.

Entering Hyrule Field, Link immediately found soldiers spread out across the area. After a quick scan, he estimated around 1000 troops currently present, all scattered around in their own groups. Slightly disappointed, he sighed. I surely hope, Link thought, that the task ahead won't be as much of a pain as it seems to be.

With his hands folded behind his back, Link, who put on a soldier helmet he carried to shield his identity, casually strolled past each of the soldiers and listened in on their conversations.

"I hear the King has declared war!"

"HA, I'd hardly call it a war! Once we storm into each tribe and show them who's in power, they'll back down like the weaklings they are!"

Link had a response to such a comment, but he decided to keep on walking and see what others were saying.

"So…. How many kills do you think I'll rack up from this little uprising, guys?"

"Knowing you, probably all of them!"

After Link listened to the cocky laughter from this particular conversation, he looked to the soldier who had even dared to ask such a question. Though tempted to approach him, Link grit his teeth and kept moving on. The attitude he was picking up from the soldiers greatly bothered him. Did they not realize how serious this was?

"When we get to Goron City, I'm gonna scare all of those fat, good-for-nothing Gorons by closing off Dodongo's Cavern!"

"Isn't that their only food source, though?"

"Then they'd better get their act together!"

At this point, Link couldn't resist any further. He immediately dashed toward the soldier who shared his foolish plan and kneed him right in the gut. Link then planted his boot into the soldier and knocked him down to the ground. He proceeded to draw his blade, pointing it at the soldier's neck.

"How _dare_ you speak so ill of your fellow countrymen!"

All of the other soldiers quickly focused their attention to the ongoing scene. When Link realized this, he looked toward them, specifically eyeing any soldier that had caught his ear earlier.

"And I am ashamed by the rest of you as well! Do you think this is some sort of joke?!"

The soldier Link had brought down wasted no time for revenge. He grabbed his spear and thrusted it toward the Knight. But, of course, the attempt was to no avail. Link had immediately equipped his Hylian Shield to counter, which rendered the spear useless.

At this point, all of the other soldiers surrounding Link slowly backed away, as, though Link's disguise was still in place, they had finally recognized just who he was. Noticing this, Link lifted off the helmet, allowing everyone to see that he indeed was the Captain of the Royal Knights. Nador, the cocky soldier who had made a fool of himself, quickly sprang up and saluted Link.

"Sir! Please forgive me! I was not aware you -"

"And what should it matter if I am the Captain of the Royal Knights or an everyday soldier? What kind of _Hylian Soldier_ acts in this way?"

"Well, sir, I am actually Captain Nador of the Hylian Soldiers…."

Link took a closer look at Nador and saw his armor was different than the other soldiers, obviously indicating he was their leader. Nevertheless, it only made Link more furious.

"I expect more out of a Captain, Nodore."

"Sir, it's _Nador_."

"Doesn't matter. As of today, your name doesn't matter."

Link looked at the rest of the soldiers and spoke to them as well.

"Indeed! As of today, your names do not matter! Your selfish and foolish desires do not matter either! With an all-out war soon to begin, the King has ordered me to take on the role of the Royal General. Under my authority, I command not only my Knights, but you…. _Soldiers_ as well."

Finding it difficult to even call them soldiers, Link made it clear in his voice that he hardly saw them as such. Now, Link doesn't like to think of himself as the jerk he was being, but he felt it was the only way to get these soldiers in place.

"Now, men, stand tall!"

The soldiers hurriedly scrambled into a formation of lines, not wanting to make their new leader wait any longer than he had to. Nador, however, took his place beside Link.

"Sir, I feel it proper I stand next to you. I know this army better than anyone else. I'm sure I can provide much advice."

Link mulled over the thought for a minute. The two hadn't quite gotten off to the best start, and he preferred working alone in terms of leading.

"You are under my command, Captain. Do not stand next to me, but behind me."

The Captain, although bothered, took a step behind Link.

"I didn't mean _literally_. I only mean to say that you and I are far from equal. But you will be my right-hand man." 

Nador bit his tongue. He's got some nerve, the Captain thought.

"Very well. May I tell you about my soldiers?" 

"No need. I am capable of educating myself. So do stand aside."

As Nador backed away, Link approached the assembled soldiers. Blade still drawn, he raised it into the air and yelled out to the men before him.

"Listen to my words, soldiers! For I am not one to repeat myself! Unlike you all, the King and I understand how troubling this forthcoming war is. Gorons, Interlopers, Gerudo, and the Zora are not races to simply brush off. Though us Hylians have descended from the Goddess Hylia, these tribes descended from those who fought alongside Hylia in order to seal Demon King Demise. It pains me deeply that they are our enemies now, but there is nothing that can be done. Now, since these powerful tribes are not united as one rebellion, this means we have four different war fronts. We must split off the army into five different sections, with one remaining here to protect the large entrance we have to Castle Town."

That was one of many things Link was uneasy about. There was no gate or difficult obstacle stopping entrance into Castle Town. It was simply a wide and open area. No moat of the sort existed.

"To conduct this split, I…."

Link's voice trailed off. He didn't have the time to evaluate each and every soldier. The only option he had in mind was to take Nador's assistance. But how he could he do that after what he said? Looking to Captain Nador, Link decided to swallow his pride….

"Captain Nador knows you all better than I do. He will bring me the best of the best. 200 soldiers of my own. The other soldiers will be split up by him into sections, and a commander will be selected for each. Though time is not on our side, I will make sure every commander is fit for the duty, and they will make sure _their_ men are fit for duty."

While hearing this, Nador cocked a brow. He found it strange that Link suddenly changed his treatment toward him. Feeling a little more comfortable with the situation, he at last spoke up.

"Now that you have heard what our honorable Royal General had to say, prepare yourselves! The evaluation begins now!"

Link smirked after hearing Nador's words. It was as if his attitude had changed. Perhaps my method of leading is working after all, Link thought.

.

.

.

Not too far from Goron City, those who resided in Gerudo Valley were also preparing for war. Ganondorf was busy consulting his right-hand man (or, rather, right-hand woman), Nabooru.

"Lord Ganondorf... You really plan on waging war against Hyrule at the time of a drought?"

Ganondorf stared at Nabooru with a blank expression, showing no excitement nor concern for the battle nor the drought.

"Indeed. It will be quite a simple task, actually. I'm sure Daphnes will send his armies to each tribe. While they all foolishly kill each other, we will launch a full assault on the kingdom."

"Do you not expect any Gorons or Zora to try and attack, though?"

"It's not as if they'll make it. Our home is conveniently located far off from any of these areas. No one will be attacking here."

"And what about the Interlopers, Lord Ganondorf?"

Ganondorf initially remained silent. The Interlopers were of concern. Although heavily disregarded by most, the tribe was a great threat to everyone's ultimate goal: obtaining the Triforce.

"Let me worry about them, Nabooru. Focus on assembling an army."

"As you wish-

"Wait. Do also make sure your band of thieves report to me immediately."

"As you wish, Lord Ganondorf."

After a quick bow of respect, Nabooru exited the room, and soon the very band of thieves he had requested made their way in.

"You rang, my Lord?"

The leader of the Gerudo Thieves, Aveil, stood before Ganondorf, hands on her hips as she smirked at her leader.

"I understand you are all as skilled of an assassin as you are a thief, no?"

"You understand correct, my Lord."

Ganondorf folded his arms and smirked back at Aveil, as well as to the four thieves behind her.

"Then I have a task for you..."

.

.

.

On the complete opposite side of Hyrule, King Zora too was making war plans. But, like Ganondorf, he did not expect any attack on Zora's Domain. The area was simply inconvenient for a battleground. Joined by several subjects, King Zora sat on his throne and conversed with his people.

"That tribe grows more idiotic by the day…."

A discussion was taking place about what to expect from the war. Everyone knew the Gorons would be foolish enough to make an attack, despite the difficulty in reaching the home of the Zora. And, not to mention, Gorons can't swim anyway….

"My King, shall we prepare defenses anyway?"

This was the voice of Mikau, newly appointed General of the Zora Army. In fact, the army was new itself. Up until this point, there had been no real need for such, but with the war upon them, it was deemed necessary.

"Hmm…. I suppose so. Set up a blockade at the entrance to Zora's River, and prevent the Gorons from making their way up to our domain."

"Your wish is my command…."

Mikau then bowed before his king and left the throne room. As he walked down the path that lead back to the main area, the general observed the very water they lived in. It was a terrible sight to see. The once blue beauty had transformed into a purple depressing sight. And, of course, the water had become toxic. Several Zora had perished already from poison, and it was frustrating to Mikau knowing the only solution appeared to be obtaining the Triforce.

"Mark my words, Hyrule," muttered Mikau, "These deaths will _not_ be in vain…."

.

.

.

Deep in the shadows of Hyrule, the dark sorcerers, otherwise known as the Interlopers, secretly roamed and kept to themselves. However, in one secluded corner of the land was where the leadership of this race resided. Twi, the representative who had recently returned from meeting with the King of Hyrule, was passing on the information from the meeting to his leader.

"...And that is essentially what happened. These tribes are all going to war with each other."

"I see…."

The leader of the tribe, Zuna, sat as Twi stood before him awaiting further comment.

"Then we will destroy them all."

Twi blinked. He could care less about what happened to the other tribes, but he was still a tad shocked to hear such words from his leader.

"Just… As simple as that, Zuna?"

Before Zuna could answer, Gerudo Thieves suddenly appeared behind both Twi and Zuna. Scythes equipped, the assassins held their blades close to the Interlopers' necks and interlocked them. While Twi was distraught, Zuna remained perfectly calm, with no change in expression on his face. Seconds later, Aveil, with the other thieves, walked into the room, arms folded. And, of course, smirks on their faces.

"Good day, Interlopers."

Zuna ignored Aveil and closed his eyes, focusing his magic. In a mere moment, dark magic exploded from his body and sent the thief behind him crashing into a wall.

"I would prefer to not be held against my will, Gerudo."

The thief proceeded to get up from the rubble and charge toward Zuna, but Aveil signaled for her to retreat, knowing it wasn't worth it.

"Forgive me, but I simply wanted to avoid any unnecessary trouble."

"What have you come here for?"

"Lord Ganondorf has sent me. It seems he desires your audience."

"For what purpose?"

"He…. Did not say. But, I am at liberty to use force if necessary."

Twi, still locked in place by a thief, scoffed at Aveil's words. After Zuna's display of magic, the Gerudo were in no position to be making such threats.

"Very well."

Twi then curiously eyed Zuna. Why would he agree to such a thing?

"Then allow me to escort -

"That will not be necessary. Now, leave my abode."

Aveil huffed, insulted by Zuna's rudeness. She called off the thieves still around Twi and they all exited the room.

"Zuna…."

Twi was completely confused as to what had happened, but Zuna waved his hand in dismissal, letting him know to not worry about it. Then, the leader of the Interlopers proceeded to warp to Gerudo Valley, leaving Twi to ponder on Zuna's intentions.

.

.

.

A few hours had passed since Link made his speech to the soldiers. During that time, Captain Nador divided up his army into five different sections, each section getting their own task. Of those five, one was selected to be Link's personal army, where Captain Nador would also fight in. Once the personal army was selected, they marched toward the Royal General and saluted as they stood before him.

"At ease, soldiers!"

The soldiers lowered their hands and relaxed from the tense positions they stood in.

"Now…. You 200 men will be my special army. Believe it or not, the most important task of our war efforts is guarding Castle Town. If we allow our enemies to pass through that point, then all hell will break loose."

Link looked upon his men, noticing how exhausted they seemed. Link had forgotten that they had been out long before he came to the field, and the sun was already going down. Clearly it had been a long day for them. Though Link would much rather do a training session, the Royal General thought it best to start wrapping up.

"Before you are all dismissed, I want you to watch a short spar between me and your Captain."

Captain Nador, who was standing beside Link, drew a blade the Royal General had given him earlier. Nador knew this was coming, so it was of no shock when announced to the soldiers. Once Nador had drawn his blade, Link too unsheathed his sword and pointed it toward the Captain.

"Come at me."

Immediately, Nador dashed toward, and aimed to vertically slice at Link. In reaction, Link swiftly lifted his shield upward to counter, meeting Nador's sword right before it could reach the Royal General. After doing so, Link lowered the shield and bashed it into the Captain's torso. He proceeded to diagonally slash his sword from both sides across Nador's body continuously, cutting deep through his armor. Link then kicked down his opponent, just as he did hours ago, and then front-flipped into the air as if he was going to sword plant the Captain. Nador, however, rolled to the side, resulting in Link's blade to make be thrust into the ground. The Royal General quickly pulled out the sword and jumped toward Nador, raising his blade over his head and vertically sliced it downward. The Captain met Link's sword with his own and leaped back, as he wasn't going to leave himself open again.

At this point, most soldiers from all sections had gathered to watch the battle between their Captain and Royal General. Once Link realized this, he signaled Nador to stop and spoke with a powerful voice to the crowd.

"This is the kind of skill I expect from you all! Though many of you have spears, such combat skills can still be replicated. Remember, it is not about the weapon, but rather the _user_ of that weapon. Now, you're all dismissed. So go home. Get some rest. But return here at dawn!"

After a few minutes, the field had cleared out, with only Link and Nador remaining.

"Sir…. What do you plan on doing tomorrow?"

"Continue training, of course. It's all we can do until we hear about any attacks. Or, of course, an attack comes our way."

"Should we send out scouts, then?"

Link thought for a minute. Spies would be of great help, but he couldn't spare any soldiers. Suddenly, though, an idea hit him.

"I will take care of that." 

"May I ask how, sir?"

"Let me worry about that, Captain."

Nador looked at Link for a moment.

"Very well…."

Captain Nador saluted Link before departing, leaving him alone on Hyrule Field. The idea that occurred to Link was bringing in the assistance of the magical Sheikah race. Being the secretive guardians of the Royal Family, they too lived in the shadows like the Interlopers. Only, of course, their allegiance was, and always will be, to the Kingdom of Hyrule. Their people lived all across the land, but many resided among the Royal Family, attending to and protecting them. Their expertise in magic and stealth would definitely be of great help. But, Link had no direct contact with them. Though he could always approach the King about this matter, Link decided to take the opportunity to see Zelda once again….

.

.

.

Zelda was sitting in her personal quarters, reading a book on magic by candlelight. Since her childhood, the Princess had studied various spells and theories in hopes of becoming a skilled mage one day. In addition, she learned much from the Sheikah around her. Now, here she was, several years later, an expert-level user of magic. Zelda could cast all sorts of spells and defend herself if the need ever be. With the war upon them, Zelda knew it would be best to keep up with her practice, just in case.

Deep into her book, she suddenly heard a knock on the door. Who could it be at this hour, though? Zelda approached the door and inquired the identity of her visitor.

"Who is it?" 

"The Mr. Royal General himself."

"Pffft...!"

Zelda opened the door and greeted Link with a wide smile. She then stepped back and allowed him to enter inside her quarters.

"And what brings you here, _sir?_"

She loved poking fun at his status whenever she could. Even to this day, it was sometimes difficult for Zelda to wrap her head around the fact that this prominent man was the silly boy she grew up with. She would never forget the days they spent playing together for hours on end. They both especially loved pretending to be King and Queen of Hyrule and "rule over their subjects". It was a nice jest at the kind of serious life they were expected to be living. And, plus, acting as a Queen helped fill an empty hole in Zelda's heart. Her mother had died early on in her childhood from cholera, and the King was too busy at the time to give the comfort Zelda needed.

"Well…. I need a favor." 

Link was smiling, but Zelda could tell he was in a more serious mood than she was.

"Of course. What is it?"

"It would be in the war's best interests if scouts were sent to our battlefields in order to gather intelligence. And, as you can imagine, the help of the Sheikah would be of much help in such efforts."

Zelda frowned at the thought of sending close servants of the Royal Family into the war. These were people she had literally _grown up _with. Even if there was a more important matter at hand, she didn't feel comfortable with the idea.

"But Link…."

"I know, Zelda. I know you would much rather not send them out, but I'm afraid it's our only option if we want to be prepared for this war."

"I'm sorry, Link, but it would be wrong for me to send the Sheikah off on such a mission when it is not their duty."

"And why would that not be our duty?"

The voice that suddenly appeared spooked the Princess, but she quickly realized it was the voice of her closest attendant, Impa, a prominent member of the Sheikah race. She stepped into view of Zelda and Link, walking out from the shadows of a dark corner.

"Impa…!" Zelda blushed, knowing Impa must have seen how casual of a relationship she shared with Link. "What are you doing in here?!"

"Forgive me, Princess, but I was told Link would be searching for scouts, and I knew he would make his way here."

Link moved closer toward Impa, clearly excited by what he was hearing. And clearly disregarding the question of just how the attendant knew of his intentions.

"Oh? So then you know the importance of this mission?"

"Indeed."

Impa then turned to Zelda.

"Princess…. Serving the Royal Family is our duty. If carrying out a task is in the best interests of the Kingdom, then the task will be carried out, no matter what it is."

Zelda sighed. She was still uneasy about the idea, but the Princess knew it was the right thing to do.

"Very well. You are officially under my orders to aid the Royal General in his war efforts."

"Understood."

Impa nodded at both Zelda and Link and turned to the door to depart. Right before she did, though, Impa turned back at Zelda.

"Oh, and Princess... You don't have to pretend to be formal around Link for me. It's clear you two share a very different relationship than that."

The attendant nodded once again and exited the room, leaving a blushing Zelda and Link to deal with the awkwardness that followed.

But, to Zelda, it was a good kind of awkward...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ganondorf was alone in his quarters, patiently waiting the arrival of Zuna. Unlike the rest of Hyrule, the leader of the Gerudo was fully aware of the true power of the Interlopers. They specialized in Dark Magic, a magic Ganondorf greatly struggled to master.

As expected, Zuna eventually appeared face-to-face with Ganondorf with the use of teleportation magic.

"Good evening, Zuna."

"Ganondorf."

"Let us get straight to the point, shall we?"

The Interloper remained silent.

"I have a proposition for you, Zuna."

"I'm listening."

"I know you must be in search of a way to gain access to the Sacred Realm _without_ the use of the Kingdom."

"You are correct."

"But…. You _must_ know it would require the skill of two powerful yet different mages."

"You are correct."

"I believe I can assist in such."

"Very well."

Ganondorf paused for a minute. Zuna was strangely passive. As if…. He truly didn't care one bit. Such a possibility frustrated the Gerudo Leader.

"Are you taking _any_ of this seriously?!"

The Interloper's expression remained blank.

"Yes."

One of Ganondorf's eyes twitched.

"Is there a problem?"

"You are agreeing to align ourselves?"

"Indeed."

Ganondorf was about to ask what Zuna would do when the Gerudo reached for the Triforce, but he decided to leave it for now.

"Then we are in alliance. However…. I would prefer this alliance to not extend past _us_. It would be unfair for my people to be involved in our matters."

Zuna stood. "I will return when the time is right."

Before Ganondorf could ask what he meant, the Interloper disappeared. Puzzled, Ganondorf simply sat for a moment, and then eventually exited the room in order to check on Nabooru's army.

Following his exit, a shadow lurked out from a dark corner. Successfully having stayed undetected, what turned about to be a spying Sheikah too left and followed the leader of the Gerudos….

.

.

.

The hour was quite late. Most people in Hyrule were asleep at this time. All but the rock-hard race of Hyrule, the Gorons. Hundreds of those who gathered at Darunia's rally gathered once again to storm into battle. Darunia was standing at the top of Death Mountain Trail, waiting for people to convene. Once his army had formed Darunia at last made one final speech.

"My brothers! Today we will go down in history as the greatest tribe in existence! Fear not the enemy and only focus on saving our people!"

After the Gorons roared in agreement, Darunia turned and started down the path of the mountain, with the army following right behind him. At the foot of the path was Kakariko Village. Inhabited by what Darunia considered as the enemies, he yelled to his comrades to unleash destruction upon the village before anything else.

And so they did. Gorons vandalized numerous houses and property in all sorts of ways. Some even brought torches with them and set fire to whatever they pleased. Windows were broken, the Windmill was torn off, a house was burnt to the ground, the list goes on. But it was a terrible sight to see. The few people who lived in the village realized what was going on soon after the terror began and could only flee for their lives. Most got away, but one was left behind, whom unfortunately was at the mercy of the savage Gorons. Darunia noticed this villager and called for his brethren to watch his example.

"This is how we treat the enemy!"

Darunia grabbed the poor straggler by the neck and sprinted toward a wall, where he proceeded to smash them into it. As the villager crashed into the wall and was buried by the rubble, all of the Gorons cheered in support of their leader's actions.

"Now, let us charge toward our destination!"

With that order announced, Darunia and his Goron Army rushed out of Kakariko Village to their target.

However…. What Darunia nor the rest of the Gorons realized was that a Sheikah was observing their barbaric actions from high above the village. But, it was not in this Sheikah's duty to intervene, only to gather intelligence. Once the Gorons had departed, the Sheikah decided to return to Hyrule Castle.

.

.

.

King Daphnes was currently in his throne room, pondering over the future ahead of the Kingdom. Civil war was inbound, and it would very well change Hyrule as he knew it. The thought was so overwhelming it kept him awake, but, at the same time, he found himself desiring such change. As if….

The King's thoughts were interrupted by an approaching Sheikah.

"Your Highness…." greeted the Sheikah as he bowed before his king.

Daphnes stared for a moment, startled that a report would be coming so late in the night.

"Report to me what you have."

"My King…. I was surveying Kakariko Village until a massive number of Gorons flooded in and destroyed the village as they raged to their destination. It would seem war has finally begun, Your Highness…."

The King stared once again, but quickly brushed off the shock. "Hmm…. Indeed it has. Thank you for your report. You are dismissed."

The Sheikah bowed once again and exited the throne room. The King's advisor, Sir Elias, walked in immediately after and inquired of the information.

"King Daphnes! What did the Sheikah have to say?"

"Elias…. The Gorons have begun an attack. The civil war has officially started."

"Are you going to call for General Link?"

Daphnes remained silent. For some reason, he couldn't decide at first

"Your Highness….?"

"Oh, excuse me. Let us…. _Not _alert our Royal General quite yet. We shall wait for this battle to play out. You and I both know where the Gorons must be headed, so there is no point in stopping them in their tracks."

Elias stared at his king for a moment, completely baffled.

"But…. King Daphnes…."

"I have made my decision, Elias."

Elias wanted to protest, but could only bring himself to nod and bow before walking out of the throne room, leaving the King alone once again.

"But is it the decision I really want?"

.

.

.

Mikau found himself laying down in his bed fully awake, unable to sleep with the weight of his people on his shoulders. He'd been entrusted with the duty of protecting the Zora race, and the loss of even one life was unacceptable. But Mikau worried about those who set up the blockade, knowing that the neighboring Gorons would show no mercy whenever they would attack.

At that moment, though, Mikau's thoughts were interrupted by what felt like an _earthquake. _But no... Earthquakes didn't happen in Hyrule. Mikau quickly jumped out of bed and exited his personal quarters, only to find numerous Zora out in the main area, all equally concerned. Signaling nearby soldiers to follow him, Mikau raced outside of Zora's Domain. Once outside, the power of the earthquake only felt greater. But Mikau soon realized as he ran down the path of Zora's River that it wasn't an earthquake; it was a stampede.

Before Mikau even reached the blockade set at the entrance to Zora's River, he saw hundreds of Gorons rampaging into the area, fighting through the Zora defense. Mikau looked on in horror to see many of his men slaughtered, and many more falling back. The remaining soldiers were able to regroup with General Mikau, but the Gorons were fast approaching. The general turned to the Zora Army behind him and acted quickly.

"Men! Do not forget we have the advantage of water! So fall back to higher waters, and do not allow the Gorons access to the entrance of our home!"

The soldiers behind General Mikau cried out in support and rushed to where they were ordered. And soon enough, the army of Gorons came charging into the Zora defense.

.

.

.

As dawn broke, Zelda awoke with a terrible feeling in her stomach. Something didn't seem right. Worried about Link, she decided to check with any nearby Sheikah to see if they knew anything. After the Princess adjusted her nightgown and quickly fixed her hair, she opened her door, surprised to find a Sheikah there guarding it.

"Ah, Princess." The Sheikah turned toward Zelda, expressionless as the rest of their kind. "You are awake."

"Yes, good morning. But... May I ask why you are on guard duty at my _door_?"

"With the war beginning earlier this morning, Impa found it necessary to increase protection of the Royal Family."

"The war began...?"

"Indeed."

"I see... So I suppose General Link must have departed long ago."

"It is my understanding that General Link has not been notified of these developments yet, Princess."

Zelda blinked. "Come again?"

"He has not been notified, Princess. Under the King's orders specifically."

The Princess was puzzled. Why would the Royal General of the Hylian Army not be notified when he was awaiting this? Not wanting to waste any further time, Zelda nodded at the Sheikah and started walking toward Link's personal quarters.

Minutes later, she arrived and knocked on his door. After receiving no response, she knocked once again, only louder. At last, the door opened, with a strangely exhausted Link appearing at the doorway.

"Princess? What... " Link paused and rubbed his temples. "Ugh... Forgive me. Anyway, what are you doing here?"

Zelda wanted to ask if something was wrong, but she knew this matter was far more important.

"May I come in?"

Link stepped aside and allowed Zelda to come in, shutting the door behind her. After doing so, Zelda sat herself on Link's bed, while Link, who had intended on sitting there, took to a chair and pulled it up to her.

"So what's going on?"

"The war began this morning, Link. Gorons trashed through Kakariko Village and made their way to Zora's River."

Link's eyes widened and he jumped up from his seat. "What?! When did these developments come in?!"

"A few hours ago..."

"...What do you mean a few hours ago?"

"I mean a few hours ago, Link..."

Frustration seemed to boil through the Royal General, clearly furious that he wasn't informed earlier.

"If I had known I could've put a stop to this war before it happened!"

"Link..."

Zelda looked at him sternly, desiring that he calm himself. Once Link had realized such, he sat back down, though still retaining an upset face.

"But... Why was I not told?"

"Father willed it not, for whatever reason."

Link clenched his fists, as if he was going to get up and confront the King, but Zelda wouldn't allow it. To comfort him, the Princess placed her hand over a fist.

"It's not worth it, Link. There's a greater issue at hand."

Link sighed. "I suppose you're right..."

Still holding her hand over his, Zelda noticed Link was extremely cold.

"Eh? You're freezing!"

Link quickly swiped his hand away and stood up. "Don't worry about it. Like you said, greater issue at hand."

Zelda too stood, knowing something had to be wrong with him. "Are you alright, Link? I've never seen you like this..."

"I'm perfectly fine." he snapped.

"But -

"Zelda, please!"

The Princess decided to give up, but only for now.

"Very well. Be safe, Link."

After Link nodded, Zelda exited the room, worried for the future ahead of them.

.

.

.

The Gorons mindlessly pushed forward against the Zora Army, apparently disregarding the waters ahead of them. As the Zora fell back, the Gorons raced up the trail, charging like the barbarians they were. Mikau knew their only chance for victory was to strategize. But how? Obviously the water would be of use, but it was polluted. Which…. Wait a minute, Mikau thought, that may actually be in our favor.

In any case, any plan would have to wait with the Gorons coming at them. General Mikau looked to the soldiers behind him, who all were ready to protect their home at any costs. He signaled them to now charge forward and push back the enemy. And so they did. All of the Zora soldiers rushed forward and attacked the incoming Gorons.

The matchup came to be quite the interesting one. The Gorons thrived in brute strength, while the Zora were masters of hand-to-hand combat. It was a sight to see for sure. As many Zora swifty aimed their blade-sharp fins, the Gorons would use their durability to defend themselves, though they were wounded in the process. Some Zora were successful in bringing down their enemies, however. One jumped high into the air above a Goron and thrust their fins downard, stabbing them through the Goron's head. Another grabbed the foot of a Goron who was attempting a roundhouse kick and proceeded to throw the barbarian off balance, allowing the Zora to knock them into the water. This Zora knew the Goron couldn't swim, but he was amazed to see how quickly it had died. Mikau, though busy with his own troubles, noticed this particular Goron's death and decided to model after it.

"Men! Remember what I said!" Mikau swifty released a fin as if it was a boomerang and cut through his opponent's leg, who proceeded to fall into the waters and immediately perish. "Use the water to your advantage!"

It didn't take long for Mikau's army to catch on. Soon enough, they were all following their general's example and, rather try and overpower the enemy, they lured them into the water. Eventually, it was clear the Zora were winning. Most of those slaughtered were Gorons. Which made Mikau wonder why the defenses lost to begin with. Was it because their leader was not present?

"General Mikau! Look out!"

Mikau had been in such deep thought over the battle that he didn't notice Darunia himself pouncing on him. The leader of the Gorons got the best of Mikau and pinned him to the ground.

"It's been a while, Mikau!" exclaimed the fierce Darunia.

Mikau fidgeted, trying to find a way out of his opponent's grasp. "Nice to…. See you too."

Darunia applied more force, slowly crushing the insides of Mikau. "I do hope you don't take this personally, but we are doing what we must."

"Then I hope _you_ don't take this personally!"

Mikau, flexible like the rest of his kind, was able to pierce a fin into the back of Darunia. After Darunia bellowed in pain, Mikau unleashed an electric aura, both shocking the Goron and releasing the Zora from his opponent's grip. Although it was difficult, Mikau proceeded to pick up the temporarily immobilized Goron Leader and toss him toward the polluted waters. The Zora awaited a splash, but was surprised to see a Goron jump from high ground and catch his leader before he could crash into the water.

By that point, the Gorons were the ones falling back. Taking advantage of the situation, Mikau raised a fin to the sky and called on his soldiers.

"For the Zora race, we will win this fight!"

After declaring such, he pushed forward against the enemy, and was followed by the many soldiers with the same thought in their mind.

As he and his soldiers pushed on, Mikau signaled a few of his elite to follow him. Though they were racing forward, the Gorons were moving too quickly, rolling backwards across the trail.

"Follow my lead, soldiers!" ordered Mikau as he dived into the water. The soldiers hesitated for a moment, but they realized Mikau had created an electrical shield around him before landing in the water, protecting him from the pollution. Eventually, Mikau reached the end of the rushing water near the entrance of Zora's River. Once they arrived, the General realized the Gorons had beat them to the entrance. Mikau and the other soldiers burst out of the water like torpedos and swiftly landed onto the ground, face-to-face with the Goron Army. Mikau could see the burning desire in their eyes to continue fighting, but their motivation was shot quickly. Not only did the rest of the Zora Army arrive, but many more citizens of the Zora race at last poured out of their home and onto the battlefield. With this display of power, the Gorons immediately retreated, leaving the Zora race to cheer on in their hard-fought victory.

.

.

.

The refugees of Kakariko Village returned to their home soon after the Gorons trashed through it. All the villagers could only look on in horror seeing their young and thriving village be reduced to mere rubble. People's homes and shops were burned down, and anything still standing had been damaged or vandalized in some manner. Even the innocent Windmill that stood over their village was gone. But, then again, everything was innocent, wasn't it?

Hours later, Link arrived with his two hundred troops behind him. Although it was Link's duty to protect the castle, there was no time to go by normal procedures. He was already hours late….

"You there!" called out Link to a random villager, "Explain what happened!"

The distraught villager approached the Royal General. "It…. It was terrible, sir. The Gorons stormed in from Death Mountain Trail and destroyed the entire village. People's homes and shops were burned down, and, not to mention, there was a death."

"What?!"

"It seems that one villager was left behind, and…. Well, the Gorons got to him. We found the poor man under rubble, probably smashed through a wall."

Link was shocked to hear such brutality displayed from the Gorons. He knew how much the race had changed over the years, but he never expected something of this caliber. Even more frustrated than he already was, Link was about ready to march up to Goron City. However, at that moment, a Sheikah suddenly dropped in as if they were falling from the sky.

"Sir, I have an urgent report."

Used to this, Link had no reaction, unlike the many frightened soldiers around him.

"At last, someone is telling me something. What do you have?"

"It would appear the Zora were victorious in fighting off the Gorons."

"Is that so?"

"Indeed. And with Kakariko Village being their only route back to Goron City, the Goron Army should be here any minute."

Link let out a sigh of relief. At least something would be going right.

"Very well. Thank you."

The Sheikah nodded before unleashing a Deku Nut, both blinding and stunning Link, allowing the mysterious character to disappear without being tracked.

Minutes later, the Gorons still alive from the battle arrived to the awaiting Hylian Army. Link had arranged the army to "greet" the Gorons right at the entrance to Death Mountain Trail, blocking their only way back to Goron City. The Royal General caught Darunia in the crowd and casually approached him.

"Good day, Darunia."

Darunia remained silent.

Link frowned and unsheathed his blade, pointing it to Darunia's neck. "We're not going to have a problem, are we?"

Darunia continued in his silence.

"Hmph. Doesn't matter anyway. You're under arrest anyway."

Link raised his voice so all of the Gorons could hear him.

"By the order of the Kingdom, you are _all_ under arrest!"

The Gorons obviously protested, but they knew they were defeated. As Link and his soldiers forced the Gorons into proper lines, Captain Nador came out from the crowd and walked up to the Royal General.

"Sir?"

"Ah, Nador. What is it?"

"Under the order of the King, Sir Elias has joined us to oversee our efforts."

At that moment, the King's advisor appeared from the many soldiers and made his way to Link and Nador.

Link groaned. "Ugh…. Why does _he_ need to be here? I'm perfectly capable of handling this situation!"

Nador stayed silent, not wanting to be involved.

"Greetings, Nador, _Link_."

The Royal General rolled his eyes as Elias emphasized on his name. Some people just can't let go of a grudge, Link thought.

"Good day, Elias. What brings you to _my_ battlefield?"

Elias scoffed. "_Your_ battlefield. I'd hardly call it that. Anyone could have arrested these buffoons."

"Just tell me why you're here, Elias."

"The King has sent me to make sure these prisoners of war are properly imprisoned."

"I believe I know how to handle a couple of prisoners." snapped Link.

"Oh?" asked Elias as he smirked, "Do tell what you were planning."

"To take them back to the Castle."

Elias immediately burst out into laughter. "THE CASTLE? IS THAT SO? OH MY…. AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!"

Link frowned. "And you've got a better plan?"

"Of course, Link. Why do you think _I_ was supposed to be Captain of the Royal Knights all those years ago? Because _I_ know the right decisions to make. That is why _I_ have become the King's advisor."

Link desired greatly to put Elias in his place, but it wasn't the time. "Tch, very well. Where do you propose we take them?"

Elias turned and started walking off in a direction. "Follow me, and bring your prisoners with you."

Link looked to Nador, who shrugged and gathered the army together. Following Elias, they went behind the area of Kakariko Village to where a graveyard was supposed to be built. Currently, though, it was merely plain piece of land. After the Gorons were directed into the empty wasteland, Link approached Elias.

"And how are we supposed to keep these prisoners locked in?"

Elias raised a hand and snapped his fingers, resulting in the appearance of several Sheikah. They proceeded to drag in a giant boulder seemingly from out nowhere. How they were able to do so eluded Link, but they placed the boulder in front of the entrance of the graveyard, blocking off the only way in. After this had been done, the Sheikah disappeared, and Elias turned back to Link.

"The Sheikah will watch over them, but I would suggest leaving troops in the area. Now, I'm sure the King would appreciate a report from his Royal General."

Link opened his mouth to say something, but shook his head as he walked off, signaling the soldiers to stay behind for now.

.

.

.

After Zelda left Link's room, she went back to her quarters and collapsed on her bed, emotions all over the place. That feeling in her stomach hadn't gone anyway, alerting Zelda that there was something more to it than just the war. The look on Link's face when he opened the door was frozen in Zelda's mind. What could be wrong with him? Could he have the same feeling in his stomach as she did? No…. That wouldn't make any sense. Or would it?

Nevertheless, Zelda brushed away these thoughts for now and got dressed. After doing so, she made her way to the throne room. In there she found both the King and Sir Elias.

"Princess!" called out a smiling Elias, "What brings you here?"

Zelda held a stern look. "I'd like a moment alone with my father, Elias."

The jolly expression on the advisor's face suddenly disappeared, and he nodded and exited the throne room.

"Father."

The King, perched up on his throne, clearly under a grave amount of stress, didn't appear up for a conversation.

"Princess... What is it?"

"It came to my attention you did not alert Royal General Link of the report that came in this morning."

"You are correct." he plainly replied.

Zelda's frustration grew as she saw her father taking no interest in the subject. "Well? Aren't you going to explain _why_?" She proceeded to raised her voice. "A lot of lives could've been saved, you know! That's why I sent out the Sheikah -"

"Zelda!"

The King stopped the Princess before she could go on any further.

"I did what I felt was necessary for the war efforts. You don't understand how these situations work. How they could play out greatly depends on whether or not we intervene."

"So you're saying you _wanted_ all of those Gorons and Zora to senselessly die?"

"That was their own choice, Zelda!"

"But they're our countrymen, Father! We were supposed to stop them from fighting to begin with!"

Fury unleashed from King Daphnes as he stood up from his throne. "I don't want to hear anymore of this! Now leave! I have much to attend to!"

Zelda felt herself heat up with rage, but she knew there was nothing she could do.

"If only Mother was here…." muttered the Princess.

The King looked at Zelda in complete silence.

Disgusted with the situation and having nothing further to say, Zelda turned away and stormed off.

.

.

.

The nameless Sheikah was sprinting across Gerudo Valley, making their way back to the Castle as fast as they could with the information they gathered many hours ago. But, just when the Sheikah reached the end of the territory, a Gerudo Thief swooped in front, holding her blade toward the spy.

"It seems we have a trespasser…."

The Sheikah stayed silent, wanting to reveal as little of their identity as possible. All Sheikah who were out on spy duty dressed in a disguised attire, with their outfit only indicating that they were indeed of the Sheikah race.

"Not much of a talker, are you? I suppose detainment will make you talk!"

The assassin jumped toward the spy, swinging down her scythe as she did. The Sheikah vanished, however, and reappeared above their enemy, tilting themselves as they slammed a foot into the Gerudo. The thief was smacked to the ground, and the Sheikah attempted to escape while she was down. Unfortunately, three other thieves appeared at that moment and surrounded the Sheikah, as did the thief who eventually stood up.

Still silent, the swift Sheikah spun 360 degrees and unleashed a storm of needles. While the assassins were dealing with that attack, the Sheikah took to the air and kicked both feet into one of them. The spy proceeded to grab the Gerudo's arms and flip her body backwards, slamming it into the ground. The other thieves then charged at her, but the Sheikah pulled out their chain and whipped their enemies, resulting in their loss of balance. The nimble spy took the chance to individually knock each one of them down by delivering swift roundhouse kicks.

Once all the Gerudos had fallen, the Sheikah started off for the Castle again. But, suddenly, the Sheikah felt something powerful strike against their head, and immediately collapsed onto the ground….

.

.

.

Link arrived at Hyrule Castle, eager to speak with the King. There was much to be done, but it felt as if time was moving too quickly. Much of the day had already passed, after all. On his way to the throne room, Link passed Zelda's quarters. He suddenly remembered how he treated her earlier that day, and felt guilty as he continued on forward.

Once in the throne room, Link kneeled before his King.

"At ease, Link."

Link stood up and nodded to Daphnes. "I have a report for you, my King."

"Go on."

"The Goron Army that both destroyed Kakariko Village and attacked Zora River has been arrested. They are currently being held behind the very village they ruined, Your Highness."

"I see."

Link cocked a brow, puzzled as to why the King was saying so little. Surely he would have more to add.

"May I ask a question, King Daphnes?"

"Of course."

"Why did you send Sir Elias?"

"Is there a problem?"

Link thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose not, Your Highness."

"Good."

Link cleared his throat. Being unsure of what to say for the very first time in his life. "So... Might there be anything else I can do?"

"A Sheikah I sent to Gerudo Valley this morning has not returned. Rally up your troops and stand guard in front of Castle Town. Who knows what the Gerudo might be planning if the spy was discovered."

"Understood, Your Highness."

The Royal General bowed and quickly walked out of the throne room, glad to be out of such uncomfortable air. Soon enough, he neared Zelda's room, but he needed to gather the soldiers as soon as possible. Lucky for Link, though, a Royal Messenger passed by.

"Excuse me, messenger!"

The messenger turned and smiled at Link. "Sir! How may I help you?"

"Tell Captain Nador to gather all of the troops. Every single section. We are _all_ going to stand guard at Hyrule Castle."

"I…." The messenger was speechless, deeply concerned as to what this might mean.

"Go!"

"Yes sir!"

After the messenger ran off with the message, Link made his way to Princess Zelda's quarters.

.

.

.

Growing up, the Princess only had a few friends. An inner circle, it was called. One of those friends was a maiden named Selene. She was perhaps the closest to Zelda, having known her even longer than Link did. Selene was unique, too. She was the only Hylian alive to have _turquoise hair _and _violet eyes_. As strange as she appeared, this maiden was purely beautiful. Goddess-like, many would say….

The maiden visited Zelda earlier in the day, keeping her company while the war was ongoing.

"The King said that to you?"

Selene was sitting on a leather chair, reclining herself. While, not too far from her, sat the Princess on her bed, relaying the conversation she had with her father.

"Indeed…. I don't understand why he is acting so strange. Or why he spoke like that to me. After all we've been through…!"

The turquoise-haired maiden tilted her head. "After…. All you've been through? That's a strange choice of words, don't you think?"

Zelda quickly looked down. "What-What do you mean?"

"We're not _really_ talking about your father, are we….?"

The Princess stayed silent, and Selene smirked.

"So we _aren't_."

"I…. Suppose not really, no."

"Then who is the man our Princess has a love interest in?"

Zelda blushed to that of a tomato. "Love interest?! Who said anything about that?!"

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and the Princess quickly walked over to it.

"Identify yourself."

"Royal General Link of the Hylian Army."

Selene rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me _he's_ the man we've been talking about…." muttered the maiden.

"Hush!" whispered Zelda.

Selene and Link had never gotten along very well. But to think _he_ was the one causing her grief? That only made things worse.

As soon as the door opened and Link entered, Selene stood, ready to depart.

"Leaving so soon, Selene?"

The maiden scoffed. Look at that face, she thought. Link didn't seem any happier to see her, so why did he even care to ask?

"Zelda." Selene turned to the Princess. "I'll see you later, okay?"

After Zelda nodded, Selene made her way to the door. When she passed Link, she gave him a dirty look.

"Don't you dare hurt her any more than you already have…."

Selene then proceeded to shut the door on Link's puzzled face.

.

.

.

Word spread quickly through Hyrule of the Goron attack, as well as of their arrest. Each tribe was deeply frustrated, especially the remaining Gorons. It was already clear that simply attacking another race would fail to do anything useful for obtaining the Triforce. Though only so much time had passed, every tribe thought it best to just forget about the others and take on the real "enemy": the Hylian Army. Despite the power of army, the Zora, Gerudo, and Gorons figured an all-out assault would overpower them.

Only…. What each race didn't realize is that they _all_ came upon that conclusion.

Though it was nighttime, Captain Nador was standing guard at the entrance to Castle Town with his several hundred troops, as ordered by the Royal General himself. Although the Captain didn't understand the point in them _all_ being there, he simply waited for any possible further orders.

Suddenly, though, he heard the most unsettling sound a man could hear. Hundreds and hundreds of Gorons, Zora, and Gerudo were individually marching toward the Hylian Army. The three races roared onto the field, brightening up the sky with their torches. Many soldiers behind Nador questioned their leader as to what to do, but all the Captain could hear was that unsettling sound. The sound…. Of _death._


End file.
